How bobsleigh, gridiron and skiiing ready a man for league

Celtic Crusaders have signed Philippe Gardent, a French-born American football linebacker who has also represented his country at bobsleigh and is an accomplished skier. Gardent, 28, who has yet to play rugby league, joins the National League One side's push for a Super League licence for 2009.

Gardent took up American football at 17 and rose to prominence in NFL Europe with Berlin Thunder and then Cologne Centurions, where he was voted the competition's defensive MVP in 2006. He spent a year with the Washington Redskins before moving to the Carolina Panthers. He was brought to the attention of the Crusaders by their fitness and conditioning coach, Thibault Giroud, a fellow Frenchman, and is expected to start his rugby league career at prop.

"Philippe is obviously going to attract a lot of interest because he has such a different background," the Crusaders coach, John Dixon, said. "But he's a talented athlete who'll compare well with anyone in the sport."

New Zealand have reprimanded their captain, Roy Asotasi, for his public criticism of their coach, Gary Kemble, after last year's 3-0 series defeat by Great Britain. Asotasi had said he and other players had no confidence in Kemble after that series and a 58-0 defeat to Australia but the NZRL chairman, Ray Haffenden, deemed the comments "inappropriate and unacceptable" and warned the South Sydney player against future outbursts. There is continuing speculation that New Zealand may appoint the Brisbane Broncos coach, Wayne Bennett, in a support role to Kemble for this year's World Cup.